BYU-Idaho Radio · Local Community Conversation About Addiction and Recovery
A group of local organizations are coming together to host a community conversation. The main topic will focus on addiction and recovery. Andra Smith Hansen, a BYU-Idaho faculty member in the communication department, has been involved with local community conversations for the last few years. Hansen, along with Center for Hope, a local recovery center, are leading the event.
“The topic of that conversation, I think will be relevant to many communities in Southeast Idaho… [Addiction and recovery] is a really big problem that causes a lot of pain and hardship for people across sectors and settings. We are hopeful people will find a lot of value in this particular community conversation and that we can come together and find ways of making inroads with that issue,” said Hansen.
The community conversation will be June 23rd from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m at the American Legion Hall in Idaho Falls. Hansen said anyone who is interested to learn more about addiction and recovery are welcome to participate.
At the event, there will be three table topics within addiction and recovery. Each table topic will be led by a professional facilitator. The three topics are resources and support, policing and understanding and opportunities and success.
“A community conversation in general is built to help community members… come together and engage in order to address a significant problem that is impacting a community more generally and to attempt to problem solve together,” Hansen said.
Hansen said the goals of the conversation are to increase awareness and empathy which reduces stigma, facilitate collaboration and connect participants with others, and to identify constructive actions to help solve the issue.
More information about and an invitation to the upcoming community conversation can be found online here.